Monday, July 04, 2016

The Current Terrorism Is Not Muslims Versus The West

(This photo of the recent terrorist bombing in Baghdad is from cnn.com.)

There have been several recent terrorist attacks, and as usual, the mainstream media plays up the attacks in Europe and the United States, while giving very little coverage to terrorist attacks in other countries -- especially those in the muslim world.

This rather slanted news coverage gives credence to the right-wing view that terrorism is a "war" between the muslim world and the western world (i.e., muslims versus christians). The current leader of that school of thought is Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump -- who has gone so far as to suggest that all muslims should be banned from entering the United States. That idea is ludicrous, and it is ludicrous because the premise it is based on is ludicrous.

Why do I say that? Haven't there been several tragic terrorist attacks in Western countries? Yes, but they pale in comparison to the terrorist attacks (by the same groups) in the muslim world. While hundreds have been killed by terrorism in the West, hundreds of thousands have been killed in the muslim world. If it is muslims against the West, then why have so many more muslims been attacked and killed than Westerners?

To be sure, there is some anti-Western feeling in the Middle East, and it is justified, because Western countries (especially the United States) has been using military power in that region for decades with no real justification. And there are some true believers in the extremist view of the muslim faith. But the real reason for the terrorist attacks all over the world is because some greedy individuals seek power -- and they have realized they can use both the anti-Western feelings and the religious extremism to achieve that power.

You don't see any of these power-seeking leaders doing terrorist attacks, or volunteering to be suicide bombers. They may seek power, but they are cowards -- and they use others who can be fooled into thinking that attacking innocent people and soft targets is somehow brave. It isn't. It doesn't show strength, but cowardice.

Don't let Trump and his right-wing buddies fool you into thinking we are at war with the muslim world. Most muslims are as horrified at the terrosist activity as we are, and they are far more likely to be the victims of it.

We are at "war" with a tiny group of power-hungry zealots, and we have been fooled into thinking they can be stopped through military power (i.e., endless war).

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How can you frighten a man whose hunger is not only in his own cramped stomach but in the wretched bellies of his children? You can't scare him - he has known a fear beyond every other.
-John Steinbeck

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What you need is sustained outrage...there's far too much unthinking respect given to authority.-Molly Ivins

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Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.
-Steven Weinberg